The Curse of Chelsea’s No. 9: Why It’s Not Really About the Number

The curse of Chelsea’s No.9 jersey has become a known meme in the fan community. It appears that even the players know about it, as there is currently no one in the squad wearing this jersey number. The last player to do so was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in 2022/23.

Number superstitions seem to be as old as humanity itself. The Chinese for example, avoid number four because it sounds the same as ‘death’ in Mandarin. In the world of gambling, where wins are entirely down to luck, the number 13 is regarded as unlucky. Go to a list of recommended casinos, talk to the players, and you will see how they avoid No. 13. And in addition to that, some people (and players) have their own superstitions about certain numbers.

In this article, though, the goal is to prove that there is nothing wrong with the no. 9 jersey at Chelsea. Because if everybody believed that, the club might as well retire the number.

Players Who Performed Well With the No. 9 Jersey

To begin with, it should be stated that this analysis will only include strikers. Thus, players like Steve Sidwell and Khalid Boulahrouz are excluded despite them wearing this jersey, as they played in midfield and defence respectively.

So, in the last 25 years, there have been players that sported the Blue No.9 jersey and were a joy to watch. Nobody will argue that Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a club great, and his numbers speak for themselves – 87 goals in 177 matches. He was one of the best attackers of the early 2000s, combining his smart movements in the box and long-range stunners.

Hernan Crespo also played quite well during his two seasons at Chelsea, recording 25 goals in 73 matches. It was not his fault that José Mourinho preferred young Didier Drogba over him and sent him on loan.

Academy graduate Tammy Abraham scored 30 goals in 82 appearances, which are good numbers, especially for a young striker. Who knows how things would have gone had Chelsea not sold him to AS Roma.

Although it might be a spicy take, the 2021/22 season from Romelu Lukaku was not terrible. The Belgian scored 15 goals in 44 matches as he had to adapt back to the speed of the Premier League after several years in Italy. Had there been more patience on the side of the club and the player to continue for a second season, we could have seen an improved Lukaku.

Objective Reasons Behind the Failure of the Rest

Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way, as the great Lev Tolstoy once wrote. And every player that wore the No.9 at Chelsea and failed, failed in their own way.

Mateja Kežman is the first such case in the 21st century. After impressing at PSV, the striker transferred to Chelsea to only score seven times in 41 matches. He left the next summer. In later interviews, Kežman hinted at some regrets about leaving Chelsea too soon. But the pressure of the Premier League appears to have cracked him, as he failed to adapt to life and football in England.

 

Franco Di Santo, for those who remember, wore the No.9 jersey in the 2008/09. Only 19 years old at that time and fresh from Chile, is it really a surprise that he scored zero goals in 18 matches and then never played for the Blues again? He was simply not ready for European football.

Fernando Torres might be where the ‘curse’ became a thing, as many were already on social media to witness his fall from grace. Once considered a top player, the Spaniard became the target of memes and all sorts of ridicule at Stamford Bridge. He was hurt by the fact that he had no time to adapt, joining mid-season, and the constant managerial changes.

Radamel Falcao spent a single season on loan, scoring one goal in 12 matches. After his ACL injury suffered at Monaco, he continued to struggle with health issues and never recovered his old form.

Gonzalo Higuain’s solo season was unsuccessful as well, with five goals in 19 matches. He was already discarded by Juventus because he did not take care of his body, was overweight and barely helped the team without the ball. It was a mistake to expect that he’d turn things around at Chelsea.

Finally, there is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who joined Chelsea not because he really wanted to, but because Barcelona were in a desperate need to sell him. The striker got three goals in 21 total appearances and was offloaded the next year as he was unhappy in London.